Building block



Oct. 9, 1934; R T, AN 1,976,664

-BUILDING BLQCK Filed May 4, 1933 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 gb g@,%6

Paul T Gianif P. T. GANTT BUILDING BLOCK 1 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 4, 1935 Paul T Ganfi Oct. 9, 1934. T GANTT 1,976,664

BUILDING BLOCK Filed May 4, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Oct. 9, 1934.

P. T. GANTT BUILDING BLOCK 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed May 4, 1953 Paul T Ganfi' Patented Oct. 9, 1934 1,976,664 BUILDING BLOCK Paul T. Gantt, Philadelphia, Pa.

Applicaticn May 4, 1933, Serial No. 669,443

5 Claims.

This invention relates in general to toys, and more particularly has reference to a set of building blocks.

One of the principal objects of this invention is to provide a set of building blocks each of which is formed in such a manner and with such a contour as to represent or simulate a different figure, these building blocks being so formed that they will be capable of being built upon one another in a great number of different arrangements and stacks in such a manner as to form an extremely attractive toy which will at the same time tax the ingenuity and skill of the builder. It is also an object that each of the blocks shall itself be composed of a number of component parts which are separable from each other but which are capable of being interlocked with each other to form the various blocks. These component parts are adapted to be complementary to each other along their abutting surfaces, but to befitted together loosely enough to permit a slight degree of movement between the various parts so that the parts may shift with respect to each other during the process of building the blocks one upon the other. Thus each individual block will adapt itself to the weight placed upon it when the other blocks are used in conjunction with it, the various parts of each block shifting in such a manner as to preserve the balance of the blocks and allow them to be built or stacked-in a variety of difierent arrangements.

It is an object of this invention that each block itself shall form a structure composed of separable component parts which interlock with each other to form a complete block, but which when separated will tax the ingenuity of the builder to properly assemble the parts to form a complete block.

A further object of the invention is to provide in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a set of building blocks consisting of a plurality of flexible independent blocks, each having selective edge supporting surfaces to provide for the upstanding thereof, and each consisting of a plurality of interlocking sections formed with coacting means for properly adjusting the center of gravity thereof according to the disposition ofthe block upon one or more selectededge supporting surface or surfaces thereby providing for the sustaining of the block in an upstanding position and for the sustaining of the superimposed stacked relation.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following descripa blocks in tion taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it being distinctly understood that the same are by way of example and illustration only and are not to be taken as in any way limiting the spirit or scope of this invention. The spirit and scope of this invention isto be limitedonly by the prior art taken in connection withv the accompanying claims. I

Referring now more particularly to the drawings in which like numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout: a

Figure 1 is a view illustrating a set of building blocks constructed in accordance with this invention, packed in a container forshipping purposes. I

Figure 2 is a perspective view of one of, the

blocks of this invention illustrating the details of construction.

Figures 3 and 4 are exploded viewsv illustrating two of the buildingblocks ofthis invention with their component 'parts'disassembled,

Figures 5, 6 and 7 are illustrations showing various arrangements which might be constructed with the blocks of this invention.

Figure 8' is a side view of one of the blocks of this invention illustrating the manner in which its component parts are interlocked in forming the completed block. 1 I

As illustrated in Figure 1, this invention consists of a seriesof building blocks eachhaving a contour formed to simulate a difierent figure. The set of blocks shown by way of illustration in Figure 1 consist of a horse 1, a goat 2, aclown 3, a lion 4, a moose 5, a turtle 6, an elephant 7, an ostrich 8, a pig 9, a penguin 10, a giraffe 11 and a rhinoceros .12. These areillustrated as being packed for shipment or storage in .a box 13 preferably of, substantially the same depth as the thickness of the blocks.

By reference to Figure 2, it will be seen how theblocks are formed of component-parts which interlock with each other. It will also beseen that these parts shift with respect to. each other; depending upon the weight andthe distribution of the weight which is placed upon the block's:

In this figure, it will be seen that the blockhav-' ing the contour of a horse consists oflahead part 14 having a projection'l5 interlocking fwithythe corresponding recess in'the' neck part 16. The" neckpart 16 likewise has a projection '17 which is interlocked, between the projection 18 on the. foreleg part 19 and the projection 20 on the for ward body part 21. The foreleg part 19. has a projection 22 which interlocks with a recess inthe forward body part 21.

it will be seen that the head will drop forward. and downward so as to leave an opening be tween the upper portion of the headpiece 14 and the upper portion of the neck piece 16.. Like-. wise, there will be an opening between the upperportion of the forward body part 21 and the. upper 'portion of the neck part 16. The foreleg a part on the other hand will be swung forwardly and upwardly with respect to the parts 16 and so as to lie close to the part 16 but to leave an .QwnTspace 30 between the leg part 19 and the lower portion of the forward bodypartZl. The tailf'part likewise will drop down soas to leave an ,('1p,.e n'i ng '30 between its upper portion and the upper portion of the rear body part 25. The rear leg part 28' on the other-hand will'be swung rearwardly and upwardly within its recess so as to leavean opening 30 betweenits forward portion and the lower portion of the rear body part25. When shifted toother positions as for instance 'Whfiflit is in position to restiupon the rear leg part 23" and the tail part26, it will bereadily seen that the various component parts will move with respect to each other so as to more perfectly balance the various parts. In'that case, the tail part 26'would of course be swung upwardly and outwardly with respect to the body. while the rear leg part '28 would be swung downwardly. This wouldltend' to separate the extremities of these two parts'whereby the block would be more r'earl ly is. p y- It is'noted in connection with'the: horse illustrated in Figure 2 that the neck part 16' is not interlocked with one other part but is interlocked between theiforeleg part 19 and the forward body part 21,- these two'parts being themselves interlockedtogether; This allows the neck part 16 not only to have the movement which it. would normally have between the parts which hold it inplaceybut it allows it to have an aditional amount of movement by yirtue of the loose con motion between the f o'releg part 19' and the for- As illustrated in Figure 3,; the block there shown 1 adabtgdato alsqainterlqck .with the rear body part 33, a1forwa'rd body part 3.5 which is adapted Wardbodypart 21,. a I V Referring nowto Figures Band 4, it will be seen thatthe'various component parts of the blocks are separable and when so separated "each forms a means for taxing the ingenuity of the builder in properly collectingand putting them together.

represents an elephant, and consists'in general of a hind'legpart 31, a. foreleg part 32, a rear body part 33 with which. the .rear leg part. is

adapted. interlock, a rump pa rtv 34 which is to'jinterlock 'withithe rear b'odyipart 3'3. and also to receiveltheiforel Part 32, 'a head part aaad t; ed to interlock with the forward part 35, .anda. trunk part 3.7 having aportion 38. adapted tobe interlocked between theportion 39 of'the head part. 36i andj the iportion. 40 of the forward body part 35,. l Aswillbqseemthis mountingof the. trunk'part 37 is somewhat similarto the .mount-.

ing of the neck part 16 of the horse, and allows the trunk part 37 to have considerably more movement with respect to its adjacent parts than do any of the other parts which are not so mounted.

Referring now to Figures 5, 6 and 7, it will be seen that the blocks constituting this invention may be stacked in any one of a number of dif ferent arrangements limited only by theingenuity and care with which the builder proceeds. It is shown in Figure 2 that the blocks are of considerable thickness, this thickness being such that each block is enabled to stand alone, and at the same time furnish spaced surfaces which will 60- act with other spaced surfaces on other blocks so that the blocks might be built one upon the other.

For the purpose of more easily referring to the .variousj partsi'of the several blocks, it is noted that the block 4 having the contour of a lion consists'of a head part 41, an upper neck and ;-body part 42, a back and rear leg part 44, a tail part. ,43, a. rear leg part 59,,afore1eg part 60, and a foreleg part 61. The clown consists of a pair of'leg parts 45, a lower body part 46, an upper body part: 47, a pair of arm parts 48 and 49, a head part 50, and a cap part 51.. Thegoat consists of ahead and hornpart 52, a neck part 53, a foreleg portion 54, a forward body portion 55 a rear body; portion 56; a rear leg portion 57, and a rump portion 58. r a 1 With reference to Figure 6, the giraffe consists of a head and neck portionfiz, a forward body portion 63; a central body portion 64, a rear body portion 65 a foreleg portion 66, and a rear leg portion 67. The rhinocerosconsists of a head portion 68, a neck portion 69, a forward body portion 70, a pair of central, body portions 7i and 72, a rump portion 73, a foreleg portion74, a rear legandbody portion 75, and a rear leg portion 76... The turtle consists of ahead and loosely together and interlock with, each other.

when'no stress is exerted upon any part of the block. Itwill be seenv for instance, that although each of the parts is locked to the others in such a. manner that it cannot be moved from the others except in a lateral direction; yet the engaging sur-' faces are so shaped that one isslightly smaller than the other and hence so that. there is a space between the two. This as previously ex-' plained allows for. arelative motion between the. parts, and many of thejointsibetwcen the component parts are so positioned that when this movementtakes place it will take place in'a some what lifelike manner. Therefore almost withoutexception the legs and heads'of thevarious blocks areso joinedwith respectqto each other and with respect to the bodies that they may be moved thereabout-in a more or less lifelike manner;

Likewise, the jointsinthe bodies themselves are soarranged'that the bodies in each instance may bend in. several places-thussimulating the bend.-. ingot thebackbone-ofananimal. I

; Referring again to Figuresb; 6; and 7, itfiwill be seen that Figure 5 illustrates an arrangement built from blocks of this invention, this IJELI'tiC-r ularv arrangement being in the formfiof an inverted. pyramid with one block supportingtwo other blocks above it, and those .two other blocks supporting two more blocks. In Figure-6, this eneral arrangement is reversed, two-blocks: be

ing placed at the bottom, each of those two blocks supporting another block; a fifth block placed between the two upper blocks and a sixth block placed upon the fifth, thus forming a right-sideup pyramid effect. In Figure 7, a variation of this takes place, one of the blocks at the bottom supporting two other blocks, and a fourth block being secured to one of .said two other blocks for the purpose of maintaining the balance of the arrangement and enabling it to stand alone. It

is noted in this connection that all of the blocks illustrated in this embodiment of the invention are of a contour to simulate the figures ordinarily present at a circus, and these arrangements of Figures 5, 6 and '7 tend to promote that effect by illustrating more or less acrobatic balancing acts. I It is noteworthy that in the different arrangements the various parts of the different blocks assume different positions with respect to the other parts according to the distribution of the pressure placed upon the blocks in the arrangement. For instance, in Figure 5 the leg 28 of the horse 1 rests upon the head 41 of the lion 4 and causes this head portion to tip forwardly and downwardly thus leaving an open space 30 between the upper portion of the head part and the upper portion of the neck part 42. On the other hand, this head part 41 is pressed close to the lower neck part 60. At the lions tail due to the manner in which it supports the clown and is pushed backwardby the weight of the clown and the other blocks, this tail portion will move to such a position as to leave an opening between its upper portion and the upper portion of the back part 44. Likewise, the body of the lion will be moved to such a position that there will be a space 30 left between the upper portion of the part 42 and the upper portion of the part 44.

In Figure 6, the lions tail 43 supports the foreleg portion 66 of the giraffe l1 and the hind leg and body portion 44 supports the hing leg portion 67 of the giraffe. This causes thetail to move so as to leave an opening 30 between the lower portions of the tail part 43 and the rear leg part 44 of the lion. 611 the other hand, the space between the upper portions of these parts close. Likewise, the pressure upon the lion being almost entirely in a direction from its hind parts toward its front parts, there will be no openings between the various body parts. The lion resting on its nose instead of on its feet as in Figure 5, the head will be bent upward and backward both closing the opening between the upper portion of the head part and the upper portion of the neck part 42,

and causing an opening between the lower portion of the head part 41 and the upper portion of the foreleg part 60.

In Figure 7 on the other hand, the weight of j the lion rests almost entirely on the rear leg portion 44, and the tail part 43 by its own weight assumes substantially the same position as illustrated in Figure 5. The head part 41 on the other hand by its own weight and due to the abnormal position of the lions body will assume the same by virtureof their weight.- In Figure 7 on the other hand, both of the leg parts 45 are pushed forwardly with respect to the figure of the clown so as to arrange them as illustrated. It is further. pointed out in connection with the clownv the parts of the block will so move as to further separatethese two spaced supporting parts and thus give to the block a firmer and more stable support. For instance, it will be noted that in Figure 6 there are openings 30 at the lower ends of each of the joints between the parts 19, 21, 25 and 28 thus allowing the lower ends of the'leg portions 19 and 28 to move further apart and give to the horse a more stable support. Likewise, in this figure there are openings 30 at the lower ends of the joints between each of the parts 41, 6i) and 61, thus allowing the nose of the lion and the foreleg part 61 to stretch farther apart and aiforda more firmsupport for the lion.

The construction of each of the blocks and as clearly shown in Figure 2, is that each of the parts or sections of the block at the portion thereof which interlocks with an adjacent part or section is formed respectively with a plurality of spaced edge portions arranged opposite and spaced from a plurality of spaced edge portions of an adjacent part or section of the block and with a plurality of spaced edge portions arranged opposite and abutting a plurality of spaced edge portions of the said adjacent part or section. The opposed edge portions which are spaced from each other are alternately disposed with respect to the opposed edge portions which abut. This structural arrangement provides when the blocks are arranged on their supporting surfaces for the canting of the parts or sections of a block relative to each other for the purpose of adjusting the center of gravity of one block relative to the other to balance the blocks when the latter are stacked in superimposedrelation wherebytheywill be sustained in such position. Owing to the manner of constructing the sections or parts of each of the blocks, such parts or sections will coact to maintain each block in an upstanding position independent of another.

It will be seen from the above that a set of building blocks has been provided which is unique, instructive, inexpensive to manufacture and which of itself forms an extremely interesting toy. It is also seen that each of the building blocks of the set just described is itself composed of a number of component parts requiring the exercise of considerable skill and patience to properly assemble so as to form the blocks themselves. In their various arrangements and combinations into which they can be built, the various component parts of these blocks each move individually in order to maintain and stabilize the balance of the various blocks, and at the same time the joints between these parts are so positioned as to cause the movement of the parts with respect to each other to appear to be very lifelike. Each of the figures has certain spaced supporting portions which cooperate with portions of the other blocks such as-for instance in Figure 5 late, or they may be left blank.

the tail of the lion cooperates with the two leg parts of the clown, the horns of the goat and the ears of the horse cooperate with each other, the forelegs of the horse and the arm .of. the clown cooperate and the hind leg of the elephant and the nose of the clown cooperate so as to support the various blocks in the arrangement illustrated. This is equally apparent in Figure 7 iniwhich the trunk 37 of the elephant hooks on to the arm part 49 of the clown and in which the foreleg part 32 of the elephant is placed against the back of the head 50 of the clown. I

It will be understood that the building blocks of thisinvention may each be'formed from a single piece or blockof material, the same being cutto-form the component parts, or the component parts may be formed separately and subsequently assembled. The'material used'may be either wood or any other suitable substance and may be formed into shape in any manner suitable to'the material employed. The blocks may likewise be of any convenient side. If found de sirable, the blocks may be painted or stamped with the various features of the figures they simu- 'It will be seen in addition that the device set forth accomplishes all of the objects and advantages sought by this inventionand produces a 530" very delightful, amusing and fascinating toy.

.Whatl claimis: d

.1 A building block assembly constituting a flexible body formed-oi a series ofinterlocking sections, said bodyhaving selective supporting surfaces for disposing it upright and said sections having coacting means for properly adjusting the center of gravity of the block assembly position the, block upright, and said block being formed with coacting parts for properly-adjusting the center of gravity of theblock when the latter is disposed uprightuponone or'more of said selected surfaces. i, 4. A building block. assembly consisting of a body formed of a series of loosely interlocked separable pivotal sections and with'selective supporting. surfaces for disposing the block'asser'nbly upright,.said sections being of irregular contour; each section being of a different contour with respect to any one of the other sections, and said sectionshaving coactin'g means for properly'adjusting the center of gravity of. said body when the block is disposed upon one or more of said selectivesupporting surfaces tosustain the'block 5.VA building block assembly consistingrofa body-formed of a series of loosely interlocked separable sections pivotal relatively to each other and having-selective supporting surfaces," and having'a series of spaced coacting parts for prop= erly adjusting the center of gravity when the block assembly is disposed upon one or more of said selective supportings'urfaces to sustain the block assembly upright.

. PAUL T; GANT'IK. V 

